Why UVA basketball is so impressive (and NOT boring)

Despite being a clear No. 2 in the rankings for the better part of two months and playing a swarming defense that big-time college basketball has rarely seen, Virginia can’t get any respect. Every discussion about the Hoos’ 28-1 record starts with a “yeah, but” and few seem to appreciate just how dominant the team has been in the ACC over the past two years.

If Duke had been doing what UVA’s done over the past 15 months, ESPN would have created a separate channel dedicated to Mike Krzyzewski: ESPNK.

But don’t fall into that trap. Virginia basketball is the real deal and here are nine reasons why.

1. Over the past 14 months, they’ve been the most dominant team in college basketball.

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

Since January 1, 2014, Virginia has gone 49-4, tied for the best in the NCAA over that period with Wichita State. But Virginia, of course, plays in the far-tougher ACC. Each of those losses came in a tight or meaningless game too: UVA lost by by four at Duke; in overtime at Maryland (during a meaningless game after the team had clinched the ACC title); by two to Michigan St in the Sweet 16; and to Duke this year by six.

Prior to that run, the Hoos started 2014 on an unspectacular 9-4 run that included losses to Green Bay and Tennessee. People knew Tony Bennett’s system would eventually start working, but it went into a surprising overdrive after last New Year’s.

2. The ultra-rare double-up. (Twice.)

(Getty Images)

Entering this season, only one team in ACC history had doubled-up another ACC team in a game, and that happened way back in 1954. UVA has done it twice this year (57-28 over Georgia Tech and 70-34 over Wake Forest).

3. Tony Bennett is doing Krzyzewskish things.

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

The Hoos went 19-2 last year in the ACC and are 16-1 this year.

That’s 35-3 over two years!

In the ACC!

Mike Kryzewski has pulled that feat once, doing it a little better (of course, his roster was packed with All-Americans and lottery picks): His dominant 1998-2000 teams combined to go 54-3 in the ACC (tournament included). But to put UVA’s current run in perspective, the last time Coach K made it through an ACC season with less than three losses was 2006. Not to knock Duke though; they’re the gold standard. We give these stats as proof that UVA isn’t some fluke coasting by because of an unbalanced schedule.

4. The Hoos hold teams to under 30 points!

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

UVA has held three teams under 30 points this year and it wasn’t against those scrub squads the big boys play in November December Two of those teams were from power conferences — Rutgers (26 points) and Georgia Tech (28) — while the other — Harvard (27) — could make the tournament. I’ve seen second-grade rec-league games with more scoring.

5. Slow, then quick, improvement.

(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Tony Bennett has been there for six years. His record has improved every year – 15-16, 16-15, 22-10, 23-12, 30-7 and 28-1 (assuming they get to 30+ wins this year, which is a good bet).

6. They’ve survived injury.

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

They haven’t lost since Justin Anderson, their most dynamic offensive player, went out with a hand injury. Not that there wasn’t at least one close call:

7. Defense, defense, defense.

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

UVA turns off a lot of people because it plays a slow, deliberate offense with a concentration of defense. How could this turn off an basketball fan? Only one answer jumps out: We don’t like what’s different. This isn’t the NBA, when good defense can involve just getting back to the other side of the court and great defense is usually one-on-one based. The most radical we want in college defense is Jim Boeheim’s 2-3 zone or something flashy, like Nolan Richardson’s “40 minutes of hell.” The subtly of UVA’s defense doesn’t belie its tenacity.

Virginia plays a ferocious pack-line defense that harasses the ball-carrier beyond the three-point line, then limits the movement of other plays on the court. They double-team so quickly opponents immediately panic. At times, it looks like UVA is playing six to five. They smother. (Here’s a great breakdown.) Why is that a bad thing? It’s more exciting than what 99% of NCAA teams do offensively. Watching good defense is watching good basketball.

8. They’re blue collar, not blue chip.

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

In the world of one-and-dones and John Calipari, UVA harkens back to the good ol’ days of college basketball. There are no one and dones. There are no McDonald’s All-Americans and no top NBA prospects. They’re as blue collar as a team playing in a state-of-the-art $131 million arena can be. UVA is what’s right with college basketball.

9. They’re the embodiment of ABCD.

Rob Kinnan, USA TODAY Sports

Everyone in ACC country knows what those four letters mean: Anybody But Carolina, Duke. And in winning back-to-back regular-season titles, UVA becomes the first team in 40 years not named Duke or UNC to pull off the feat.

In a few weeks, when everybody is filling out their NCAA brackets, UVA is going to be the vogue upset pick. Disrespect away, my friends. UVA is for real. For real.

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